The main goal of this proposal is to develop a method of ophthalmic molecular in vivo imaging, using gold nanoparticles and optical coherence tomography, that can be used to diagnosis ocular tumors. This grant application focuses specifically on the detection of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) as a target to validate this type of molecular in vivo imaging. Our preliminary data demonstrates our ability to in vivo (1) localize and (2) quantify bare gold nanoparticles injected into the corneas of mouse eyes. The experiments we propose in this research proposal will concentrate on developing a model of ophthalmic in vivo imaging of specific molecular targets. The experiments proposed in Specific Aim 1 (SA 1) will determine the optimal gold nanoparticle size, shape, and concentration that will produce the maximal signal intensity on spectral domain optical coherence tomography. The experiments outlined in Specific Aim 2 (SA 2) will validate surface molecular targets on OSSN lesions that have previously been reported to be upregulated. Additionally, the experiments in this aim will test the ability of our optimized and antibody-functionalized gold nanoparticles to bind to these molecular targets on tissue specimens. Finally, the experiments proposed in Specific Aim 3 (SA 3) will directly test the ability of spectral domain optical coherence tomography to detect these antibody-functionalized gold nanoparticles once they are bound to their molecular targets. Our long-term goal is to bring in vivo molecular imaging to the diagnosis and monitoring of ocular cancers and, ultimately, other diseases of the eye. ) PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Here we propose to develop a nanoparticle-based in vivo molecular approach for cancer diagnosis in the eye. If successful in the attached aims, this technology can be used as a molecular in vivo theranostic platform for all eye diseases.